Right to Information

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Right to Information legislation provides the public with access to information held by the Government. Ministers and public sector agencies must provide access to information unless there is a good reason for it not to be provided. ​

Treasury is required by the Right to Information Act to make information available to the public through proactive disclosure which will assist the public in understanding what it is we do and how we do it. This may be done via our website or through publications, including fact sheets, discussion papers and annual reports. Specific information can be found on our routine disclosures page​.

Some information is not released in this way, either because it is not of general public interest or because it is information that Treasury would need to assess the Right to Information Act prior to disclosure.

If you cannot find the information publicly, contact us and we may be able to assist you in finding it or we may be able to provide it to you. If it is not freely available, we can assist you to make an application for an assessed disclosure.

Consider searching or contacting these sources:

Department of Treasury and Finance

Tasmania Online

Applications for information need to be made to the department, authority or council holding the relevant information or most closely linked to the information. If you are unsure if Treasury is the agency you should apply to for the information you are seeking, emai​l us.

You may submit an application in writing and include the information requested under regulation 5 of the Right to Information Regulations 2021. 

A form is provided to assist you with your application: 

 Right to Information Application Form - current from 1 July 2024 (DOCX 70Kb)

 Right to Information Application Form - current from 1 July 2024 (PDF 185Kb)

Post your completed application to:

Right to Information Officer
Department of Treasury and Finance
GPO Box 147
HOBART TAS 7001

or email: 

rti@treasury.tas.gov.au

Your application must be accompanied by the application fee. This fee is set at 25 fee units, which is $47.75 (effective 1 July 2025).

Payment options:

Electronic funds transfer

BSB:                           037001

Account number:        268761

Account name:           Department of Treasury and Finance Operating Account

Payment reference:    “RTI" and “your name" eg RTI J Smith

Cheque or money order

Payable to:                  Department of Treasury and Finance

​You may apply to have the fee waived if:

  • you are in financial hardship - we take that to mean that you are on income support payments (we would usually ask to see evidence that you are in receipt of Centrelink or Veterans' Affairs payments);
  • you are a Member of Parliament and the application is in connection with your official duty; 
  • you are a journalist and the application is in connection with your official duty; or
  • you are able to give us information which shows that the information sought is intended to be used for a purpose that is of general public interest or benefit.

The aim of the Right to Information Act 2009 is to improve the operation of democracy in the State by:

  • increasing the accountability of Government to Tasmanians;
  • increasing the ability of Tasmanians to participate in Government decision making; and
  • acknowledging that the information held by Tasmanian public authorities belongs to the people of Tasmania and has been collected for and on their behalf.

  • We will check your application to make sure we have the information we need and that you have paid the application fee or qualify for a fee waiver if requested.
  • We may transfer your application to another public authority if we do not believe we are best placed to provide you with the information.
  • Before your application is accepted, we may need to contact you to ask about your application to understand your request.
  • An officer will assess your application against the Right to Information Act and let you know the outcome of that process in writing.
  • You will be notified of the decision on your application for assessed disclosure as soon as practicable but in no more than 20 working days of the application being accepted. If your request is complex or for a large amount of information, we may ask you to give us more time.
  • If there is a need to consult with a third party about their business affairs or about their personal information, more time is automatically given and we will let you know the outcome as soon as practicable but no later than 40 working days. We will let you know if this is required.

If the application or part of the application is refused, then the reasons for the refusal to provide the information will be provided as part of the decision together with details on your right to seek a review of the decision (see review process below).

If you disagree with the outcome of a decision, you may be able to request a review of that decision.

The first step is an internal review of the decision. An internal review of the decision must be requested within 20 days of receiving the notice of the decision. This should be done in writing and addressed to:

Principal Officer
Right to Information
Department of Treasury and Finance
GPO Box 147
HOBART TAS 7001

or email: 

rti@treasury.tas.gov.au

In some cases, you may also be able to seek an external review by the Ombudsman:

  • If we do not get back to you in the timeframe allowed then we may be taken to have refused your application and you are able to make an application for external review to the Ombudsman without applying for an internal review first.
  • If you have applied for internal review and are unhappy with the internal review decision, then you may apply to the Ombudsman for an external review.​

Information on reviews by the Ombudsman can be found on the Ombudsman Tasmania website. 

Since 9 June 2015, all government agencies have been required to publish certain information released in response to Right to Information requests online within 48 hours of the information being sent to the applicant. This only applies to information released that is considered to be in the public interest, not requests for personal information.

Information can be found in our RTI disclosure log​.

Treasury's Information Disclosure Policy and Principles document has been developed in accordance with section 23 of the Right to Information Act and outlines the policy and principles that are followed by all officers within the Department of Treasury and Finance to ensure a consistent and sound approach in relation to the disclosure of information.​

Information Disclosure Policy (Right to Information) (PDF 131Kb)

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The Ombudsman's Right to Information Manual and Guidelines provide more detail on making requests under the Act and how they are processed by the agency to which the request is sent.

Right to Information publications - Ombudsman Tasmania website


You also can view, download and print the Right to Information Act and Regulations on the Tasmanian Legislation website.

Right to Information Act 2009
Right to Information Regulations 2021


​Contact

email: rti@treasury.tas.gov.au

Or

Post your completed application to:

Right to Information

Department of Treasury and Finance
GPO Box 147
HOBART TAS 7001​



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